Na China, marcas como Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor e Vivo já disputam um mercado onde os dobráveis estão longe de ser uma novidade. Para o iPhone Duo, o desafio será diferenciar-se das rivais e transformar a dimensão do ecossistema da Apple numa vantagem, sobretudo através das aplicações, apontam os analistas da Omdia.
In case you were unaware, Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max last week, alongside its first-ever foldable, the iPhone Duo.
Naturally, the iPhone 18 Pro preorders quickly followed suit, with rebates of up to AU$1,595 when you trade in an old phone, and accompanying SIM plans from AU$39/m.
While it’s always nice to have the latest tech, a fresh product launch also means an older device is ripe for discounts, and that’s certainly the case for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Apple may have discontinued both models from its online store, but retailers and telcos, including Amazon, Optus and Vodafone, still have stock — including the popular Cosmic Orange colour — meaning you still have time to score one at a discount. Whether you just want to save money, aren’t fussed with having the latest iPhone, or you simply prefer the colour options of the iPhone 17 Pro series, now’s a great time to take advantage of any offers.
Buying outright
If you want to buy outright, then Amazon and Optus are great options, although if you’d prefer to shop at the former, you’ll want to hurry as the retailer doesn’t have stock of all sizes and all colours.
If you’d prefer the smaller iPhone 17 Pro, Amazon no longer has stock of the base 256GB variant. Instead, the most affordable option is 512GB for AU$2,197 in Deep Blue, or AU$2,229 in Cosmic Orange.
Optus arguably has some tempting offers of its own. Not only can you split the cost of either the iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max into monthly interest-free instalments over up to 36 months, but all colours and storage sizes are in stock.
And, for a limited time, you can pair either iPhone with Optus’ Small plan, which has currently been reduced to just AU$39/m while the included data has increased from 60GB to 100GB. These benefits only apply to the first 12 months, after which the plan reverts to its regular AU$60/m for 60GB data — at this point, I’d recommend you check out the best SIM-only mobile plans for a more affordable option.
If you’re able to, it’s cheapest to pay the device off over 12 months, as you can see in the table below.
Repayment
Device/month
Months 1-12
After month 12
Total during device term
12 months
AU$166.56
AU$205.56/m
Device paid off
AU$2,466.72
24 months
AU$83.28
AU$122.28/m
AU$142.28/m x 12
AU$3,186.72
36 months
AU$55.52
AU$94.52/m
AU$115.20/m x 24
AU$3,906.72
However, if you intend to remain on that Optus plan for three years anyway, all three options cost exactly the same over 36 months: AU$3,906.72. With the 12-month option, you'd simply pay $205.56/month for year one, then $60/month for years two and three.
Vodafone also has some attractive offers, with monthly device payments for the iPhone 17 Pro starting at AU$47.18/m. Once again, you’ll spend the least amount of money if you pay off over 12 months.
Repayment
Device/month
Months 1-12
After month 12
Total during device term
12 months
AU$141.58
AU$186.58
Device paid off
AU$2,238.72
24 months
AU$70.79
AU$115.79/m
AU$128.79/m x 12
AU$2,934.72
36 months
AU$47.18
AU$92.18
AU$105.18/m x 24
AU$3,630.72
This is just a snapshot of the iPhone 17 Pro offers available right now, but if you want to take advantage, you’ll need to be quick, because once stock has gone, it’s gone.
The iPhone Duo status icon introduces a new approach to information that has occupied the top edge of the iPhone display for nearly two decades. Instead of treating Wi-Fi, cellular signal, battery status, and other indicators as a conventional horizontal row, Apple has created a flexible circular system that sits in the corner of the foldable iPhone’s display.
Apple officially describes the feature as a “circular, flexible system” within the status bar rather than one fixed icon containing every piece of information at all times. The distinction is useful: the area can adapt according to context while consolidating status information into a smaller visual region.
It is part of a much larger rethink of iOS 27 specifically for iPhone Duo. The foldable device changes the proportions available to software, particularly when its 7.6-inch inner display is open, forcing Apple to reconsider interface elements that have traditionally stretched horizontally across an iPhone screen.
The status system is one of the smallest changes visually, but it illustrates how extensively Apple has adapted iOS around the new hardware.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
iPhone Duo status icon replaces the traditional horizontal approach
Conventional iPhones distribute system information across the upper portion of the display. Cellular strength, network type, Wi-Fi connectivity, and battery status typically occupy space around the camera hardware and Dynamic Island.
iPhone Duo approaches that area differently.
Apple says its circular status system nestles into the corner of the screen and presents relevant information including Wi-Fi, cellular strength, battery status, and more. Rather than requiring a long horizontal strip, those indicators can occupy a compact area that works with the device’s unusual screen geometry.
The change is closely connected to the way iPhone Duo handles controls throughout iOS 27.
Apple has moved several interface elements to the side of the display. App navigation, toolbars, the Home Screen Dock, and some Lock Screen controls can use vertical space instead of occupying the familiar horizontal regions found on other iPhones.
The status system therefore becomes part of a vertical interface column rather than an isolated redesign.
This arrangement lets content use more of the display’s height while keeping frequently referenced system information visible. It also creates a consistent location for status details as users change how they hold or fold the device.
A flexible status system suits a foldable iPhone
A foldable phone presents an interface problem that a traditional slab-shaped iPhone does not have.
iPhone Duo can operate through its 5.4-inch outer display or its substantially larger 7.6-inch inner screen. The device can be opened completely, partially folded, rotated, or positioned like a small book.
A static status bar designed around one screen size and orientation would be less effective across those configurations.
Apple instead built iOS 27 so that interface elements can move as the physical device changes. Content reacts to folding, controls relocate, and layouts adjust around the hinge and available screen area.
Apple’s developer guidance provides additional detail about this philosophy. On iPhone Duo, navigation and toolbar controls share vertical space with system elements such as the status bar and Live Activities. When available room becomes limited, application controls can collapse into an overflow menu.
That makes the circular status area part of an adaptive system rather than a cosmetic flourish.
Developers do not need to manually reproduce the status treatment inside their apps. Apple’s standard interface frameworks handle much of the adaptation, especially when applications use native navigation, toolbar, and tab-bar components.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
Dynamic Island also moves to the side
The status area is not the only familiar piece of iPhone interface that changes position on iPhone Duo.
Apple has redesigned Dynamic Island so that it can sit vertically along the side of both the outer and inner displays. It can expand from that position to present alerts and Live Activities.
The relationship between Dynamic Island and the new circular status system is particularly interesting because Apple now has two dynamic interface areas operating along the same side of the screen.
One communicates persistent device information such as network and battery status. The other handles temporary activity, alerts, and live information.
Apple’s developer documentation refers to this section as shared vertical space. Application controls may also occupy it, meaning iOS has to continuously decide how much room is available and which elements deserve priority.
That is a major departure from the long-standing assumption that the upper corners of an iPhone screen simply contain a predictable row of small status symbols.
On Duo, those regions have become active parts of the interface layout.
Wi-Fi, cellular, and battery remain immediately recognizable
Consolidating status information creates a design challenge: efficiency cannot come at the expense of readability.
Users have spent years learning the meanings of Apple’s individual status symbols. Cellular bars indicate signal strength, the Wi-Fi symbol communicates wireless connectivity, and the battery icon provides an immediate indication of remaining power.
Apple has not discarded those familiar concepts.
Instead, the circular system changes how and where information is presented. The familiar status categories remain present while the container around them becomes more adaptable.
This is particularly useful on a device with two displays. Users should not need to relearn the meaning of basic connectivity information when moving from the outer screen to the inner display.
The same reasoning applies when iPhone Duo changes orientation. Apple can reorganize the status area without changing the fundamental visual vocabulary behind Wi-Fi, cellular, or battery information.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
iPhone Duo pushes the status bar beyond a fixed strip
The new design suggests a different direction for one of the oldest pieces of smartphone interface.
Status bars traditionally behave like reserved strips of screen space. Applications work around them, and their icons occupy predictable positions regardless of what is happening elsewhere.
iPhone Duo turns that space into something more fluid.
The circular system can coexist with a vertical Dynamic Island, changing application controls, Live Activities, and layouts that respond to the physical position of the foldable display. It becomes another component that iOS can arrange rather than a fixed row placed permanently along an edge.
There is no indication that Apple plans to bring the same circular status treatment unchanged to conventional iPhones. Its current implementation is specifically tied to iPhone Duo and the interface requirements created by the foldable hardware.
Still, the design provides a glimpse at how Apple can rethink even deeply established iPhone conventions when the shape of the device changes. When iPhone Duo reaches customers on October 23, the small circular area in the corner will be one of the most immediately visible examples: cellular strength, Wi-Fi, battery information, and other system details occupying a shared adaptive space instead of stretching across the display.
iPhone 18 Pro is at the center of What Holds Us, a new photography exhibition built around three very different approaches to image-making. Alex Prager, Jack Davison, and Jimmy Chin shot the entire project on Apple’s latest Pro iPhone, using the device in environments ranging from a Los Angeles soundstage to a London warehouse and the high-altitude terrain of British Columbia.
Curated by Kathy Ryan, the former longtime director of photography for The New York Times Magazine, the exhibition examines connection through touch, shared experience, physical environments, and human relationships.
It also gives Apple a more ambitious showcase for the iPhone 18 Pro camera than a conventional product demonstration. Rather than presenting standardized comparisons or individual sample images. What Holds Us asks three established photographers to work within their own visual languages while using the phone as their sole camera.
The exhibition opens in New York City on September 18 and runs through September 20 before traveling to London and Shanghai in the coming months.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
iPhone 18 Pro takes three very different photographic approaches
The project works partly because the three photographers have little stylistically in common.
Jimmy Chin took iPhone 18 Pro into the Bugaboo Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, working around snow, ice, steep climbing terrain, and winds reaching as high as 70 miles per hour.
His series focuses on trust and connection within climbing, with veteran mountaineer Conrad Anker appearing throughout the photographs. Some images place Anker as a small figure against vast mountain landscapes, while others move much closer to rock, snow, and glacial textures.
Chin used both the 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras to shift between those extremes. The practical appeal was also straightforward: carrying a phone instead of a full conventional camera setup reduced the equipment required in an environment where weight and mobility affect every decision.
Jack Davison took almost the opposite approach. Shooting inside a former sugar warehouse in London, he created intimate portraits built around people interacting with clay and chalk.
Davison is known for high-contrast black-and-white imagery, and his contribution emphasizes texture, shadows, highlights, skin, and physical contact with the material. Some subjects appear partly covered in clay, while others manipulate it directly, leaving fingerprints and marks across the compositions.
For Davison, the smaller camera changed the relationship between photographer and subject. Without a large camera constantly positioned in front of his face, he could maintain more eye contact and work at closer range.
His use of slower shutter speeds, RAW capture, and multiple lenses also illustrates how Apple increasingly wants the Pro iPhone camera to function as a configurable photographic tool rather than simply a computational point-and-shoot system.
Alex Prager pushes the phone into large-scale production
Alex Prager’s section places iPhone 18 Pro inside a much more elaborate production environment.
Working on a Los Angeles soundstage, Prager created color-heavy scenes filled with crowds, confetti, staged city elements, costumes, and loosely choreographed movement. Some images use high viewpoints to turn groups of people into a continuous visual pattern, while tighter photographs isolate individual figures within the same constructed world.
The visual approach resembles film production more than spontaneous mobile photography, which gives the project another test for the phone. The camera has to preserve detail across numerous faces, costumes, props, highlights, and areas of movement while operating within scenes deliberately designed for large-format presentation.
Prager also treated the camera’s immediacy as part of the creative process rather than simply a convenience. The ease of moving between perspectives and capturing repeated moments allowed the scenes to evolve through improvisation instead of being locked into a single carefully prepared frame.
That approach aligns with a recurring theme across the exhibition: the phone becomes less intrusive without requiring the photographers to abandon their existing visual standards.
For Apple, it is a useful distinction. Professional photography campaigns built around smartphones can easily become exercises in technical proof, where the central question is whether a phone can imitate equipment already available to photographers. What Holds Us is more interested in how a smaller camera changes the way an artist works.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
Variable aperture gives the project a new technical foundation
The exhibition arrives alongside one of Apple’s most significant physical camera changes in years.
iPhone 18 Pro introduces variable aperture on its 48MP Fusion Main camera. The lens can operate at ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, or ƒ/4.0, changing both light intake and depth of field.
A wider ƒ/1.48 aperture is designed for stronger low-light performance, while narrower settings can retain more detail across different planes of an image. Apple also lets photographers select aperture settings manually through new Pro controls in the Camera app.
Those controls extend to shutter speed and white balance, with a histogram available for monitoring exposure. ProRAW remains available for photographers who want greater flexibility during post-production.
The rear camera system also includes 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and 48MP Fusion Telephoto cameras, providing focal lengths from 13mm at the wide end through an optical-quality 8x option.
What Holds Us does not reduce the exhibition to those specifications, but the technical changes help explain why Apple chose photography, rather than video, for this particular campaign. Variable aperture affects choices that photographers traditionally make during capture, especially around available light and how much of a scene remains in focus.
What Holds Us extends the Shot on iPhone idea
Apple has spent years using Shot on iPhone campaigns to demonstrate camera quality through finished work rather than charts and controlled tests. What Holds Us pushes that format closer to a conventional curated exhibition.
Ryan connects the three bodies of work through the idea of human presence, but each artist interprets it differently. Chin finds it through dependence between climbers in hostile landscapes. Davison uses physical contact between people and clay. Prager builds populated fictional environments in which individual expressions emerge from larger crowds.
The images therefore function as an exhibition first and a hardware showcase second, even though the production is closely tied to the launch of iPhone 18 Pro.
That balance may be the most effective part of the campaign. Apple does not need to demonstrate that a modern iPhone can produce a technically competent photograph. The more interesting challenge is showing where its smaller size, computational processing, lens flexibility, RAW workflow, and new manual controls can alter the photographer’s decisions.
New York visitors will get the first opportunity to see how those images hold up away from a phone or computer display when What Holds Us opens September 18. After its three-day New York run, Apple says the exhibition will continue to London and Shanghai, giving the iPhone 18 Pro photography project a physical life beyond the launch campaign.
Here’s the 17 family data as a percentage of overall usage for Widgetsmith.
Generally they followed the usual adoption pattern, and overall did very well ending at around 20% of total usage.
With the exception of the Air really struggling to find market share. For comparison the 16 Plus ended its first year at around 1.4% (vs the Air’s 0.3%).
This works out to about 6% of my iPhone users using the iPhone Air, or about 20x more proportionally than David's more mainstream app. Honestly, the numbers are pretty striking here, with David showing a pretty even split between the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, slightly decreasing in that order. Meanwhile, almost half of my users are on the Pro Max, another quarter are on the Pro, and the 17 is neck and neck with the Air. Clearly, my customers lean more enthusiast and are higher end buyers on average.
The apparent unpopularity of the iPhone Air is not what caught my eye. Instead, it is the percentage of iPhone 17e users: 0.5% of Widgetsmith users, and something like 1–2% of the total iPhone 17 generation in Birchler’s.
The iPhone 17e hasn’t been on sale for as long, though.
In the entire year since the iPhone Air was announced, I’ve never seen Apple advertise it. No billboards, no commercials. It raises a chicken/egg question: did no one buy it because Apple didn’t market it, or did Apple not market it because no one wanted it?
[…]
But the shame of these low iPhone Air sales reminds me, very much, of the late great iPhone 12 and 13 Mini — also a truly great design, also terribly disappointing sales numbers.
Quelque 67 % des Français qui utilisent les réseaux sociaux passent plus de 5 heures par jour devant les écrans, selon le Baromètre du numérique 2025. Derrière ce chiffre, il y a des corps qui souffrent en silence : douleurs, yeux secs, nuits hachées… Votre organisme lance des signaux d'alarme...
John Ternus has barely been CEO of Apple for a fortnight, and he's already caused quite the stir. Some of this is to be expected; Apple's September event is barely in the rearview, and the dust has far from settled following the announcement of the long-awaited iPhone Duo.
Still, it's one small interjection he made in a video interview with TechRadar and Tom's Guide (see below) that tells me a lot about his relationship with the company he now governs.
In addition to discussing the new devices launched this week, we had the opportunity to ask Ternus about his views on AI, wearable tech and becoming CEO of one of the world's largest and most eminent tech companies; plus, crucially, his view on innovation.
When our Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff, asked about his plans to reinvigorate the brand's image when it comes to innovation, Ternus replied: "I don't think we ever lost innovation."
Is it ever enough?
The unavoidable truth is that the "iPhone moment" is, perhaps, once in a generation; and there's a lot more competition in the playing field now than there was back in 2007. That being said, it's hard to argue that there's been no innovation under Tim Cook's tenure.
From Apple silicon chips (2021) and Touch ID (2013) to Face ID (2017) and the world's first over-the-counter direct-to-consumer ECG in the Apple Watch Series 4 (2018), there's been plenty to shout about — even though recent years have maybe been a little quieter, barring the Vision Pro... but that's not much to write home about yet.
Of course, Ternus' quick retort garnered some reactions nonetheless, with commenters across our TikTok and YouTube accounts arguing that true product-level innovation had been lost at Apple for many a year. So, what do you think?
Cook had a difficult job, without a shadow of a doubt: huge boots to fill in the wake of Steve Jobs' passing, a grieving user base and fanbase, plus lofty expectations to steer the Apple ship through everything from a global pandemic to hardware supply chain chaos; and that's just in recent years.
Apple's still kicking, with a strong set of products, devoted audience and a seemingly optimistic future under Ternus' leadership. Only time will tell what's in store for this new era after the iPhone Duo.
Got your iPhone 18 Pro Max on preorder but can't quite decide on the perfect plan to pair it with? I think I've found a contender for the best overall option right now.
Even without the discount, Mint's unlimited plan is competitive and much cheaper than many competitors, so the deal is just the cherry on top. While you'll have to pay $180 upfront, you'll lock in an unlimited data plan for an almost unbelievably cheap $15 per month.
Overall, the Mint unlimited plan includes unlimited talk, text, and mobile hotspot. There are a few restrictions, such as 50GB of 5G data and 20GB of mobile hotspot, but these are still pretty generous for the price - especially at $15/mo.
Mint Mobile's latest deal for new customers
Mint Mobile unlimited data plan: was $360, now $180 Mint Mobile's latest plan deal is the perfect pairing for the latest iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. Right now, you can get any of the carrier's plans for just $15/mo, including the high-end annual unlimited plan. Paying just $180 upfront, you're locking in a huge amount of value here for not a lot of cash. If you've been curious about trying Mint Mobile, then now's a great time to jump on board. View Deal
Note, if you're looking for a great all-in-one deal at Mint, then the carrier also has some great discounts on the latest Google Pixel 11 and Samsung Galaxy S26. If you're interested, I've attached further details just down below.
Also available at Mint Mobile
Google Pixel 11 series: $450 off, plus a half-price unlimited plan at Mint Mobile Mint Mobile's latest deal on the Pixel 11 series is the perfect pairing with Google's new flagships. Right now, you don't even need to trade-in to get an excellent $450 discount on these new devices. On top of that, you can also get a full year of unlimited data for just $180 - that's half the usual price. Put together, this is a great deal, although it's exclusive to new Mint customers. View Deal
Samsung Galaxy S26 series: $500 off, plus up to $400 off with a trade-in at Mint Mobile Mint Mobile's latest deal on the Galaxy S26 series is one of the best I've ever seen from the well-known prepaid carrier. Not only can you get a record-breaking $500 upfront discount on a brand new device, but you'll also get a full year of unlimited data for just $180 - half price. On top of that, you can also trade-in for an additional discount of up to $400 off, which is enough to cover the entire cost of the standard Galaxy S26.
Apple’s Siri voice assistant was famously bad for a long time, but the company turned a corner with the launch of Siri AI, an upgraded assistant powered by the latest generation of Apple Intelligence with better accuracy and more features. Siri AI was announced at WWDC in June 2026 and arrived with iOS 27 on September 14. But it isn’t immediately available to everyone: access depends on your iPhone model, software version, language, Apple Account region, and a temporary waiting list.
So how do you actually get it? Siri AI doesn’t simply appear on your iPhone; you’ll need to clear a few hurdles before you can turn it on. In this brief tutorial, we explain what might be holding things up and show you how to get Siri AI on your iPhone.
Install iOS 27
First, update your iPhone to iOS 27 if you haven’t already. Open the Settings app and go to General > Software Update, then wait while your iPhone checks for available updates. If you see multiple options, select the latest iOS 27 version and follow the onscreen instructions to download and install it.
Your iPhone will restart when the update is complete.
Make sure you have enough storage
Siri AI and the latest Apple Intelligence features require lots of space. Depending on your iPhone, Apple says you may need up to 14GB of available storage.
To check, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. If you’re running short, you’ll need to free up some space before Siri AI can finish downloading. See: How to save space on an iPhone.
Check if Siri is available in your Apple Account region
Has Apple made Siri AI available in your country yet?
If your Apple Account is registered in the European Union, you’re mostly out of luck. Apple has delayed the launch of Siri AI for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch in the EU, claiming that it needs more time to comply with the Digital Markets Act. The EU disputes Apple’s interpretation of the law. There is some hope that the situation may change. In the meantime, EU users can access Siri AI on a compatible Mac or Apple Vision Pro.
Users in mainland China also miss out on Siri AI while, in Tim Cook’s words, “Apple works through regulatory requirements.”
Set the device and Siri languages correctly
Siri AI currently supports English only. Wherever you are, you’ll need to have your device language and Siri language both set to English.
Once Siri AI has been activated, it will continue working even if you travel to a region where it isn’t available. Eligibility depends on your Apple Account region and device, rather than simply your location.
Check your iPhone model: Is your iPhone (or other Apple device) compatible with Siri AI?
The next step is to make sure your iPhone is compatible with Siri AI, which makes substantial demands on the processor and therefore won’t run on older and slower hardware.
Siri AI supports the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, every iPhone 16 model and later, and iPhone Air.
Here’s a list of currently available iPhones that can run Siri AI. Any phones that Apple launches in the future will also be compatible.
iPhone Duo
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Pro
iPhone Air
iPhone 17
iPhone 17e
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16
iPhone 16e
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Pro
If you’re unsure which iPhone model you’ve got, open the Settings app and go to General > About then look for Model Name in the top box.
Is your iPhone on the list? Great! There are just a couple more steps to take. (Plus potentially a bit of a wait.)
Siri AI is also available on the following Apple devices:
iPad mini (A17 Pro) or any iPad model with M1 or later running iPadOS 27
MacBook Neo (A18 Pro) or any Mac with M1 or later running macOS 27 Golden Gate
Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, or Apple Watch SE 3, running watchOS 27 and paired with Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone
Open the Settings app and tap Siri. If Siri is currently turned off, enable it before continuing. At the top of the screen, tap Try Siri AI (Beta), then follow the onscreen instructions to choose a voice, complete voice enrollment, and review the privacy settings.
Once setup is complete, you’ll be added to Apple’s waiting list and the status will change to Joined Waiting List.
Now you wait. Some iPhone owners have gained access within minutes, while others have waited for hours or days. Wait times vary, but Siri AI will download automatically when access is granted. You’ll receive a notification when it’s ready to use.
Then you can start exploring the first truly capable version of Siri in years and all sorts of cool new features. Have fun.
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